TABLE OF CONTENTS

this seemingly contradicting result is that a lack of uniform
safety guidelines & standards in combination with
no certified installation and maintenance staff across European
countries, together with remaining technology
challenges has significantly reduced the speed of market
adoption. On the other hand, once technology is put
into place customer satisfaction rates have been generally
high due to efficiency gains, ease of maintenance
and high operational reliability of NR systems.
Markets (Competition & Demand) play a minor role in
accelerating or slowing down the uptake of HFC-free solutions.
This has evolved over the last few years when respondents
in the NR industry considered competition by
traditional systems to be a major challenge for introducing
new technology. As a result it is now the least important
barrier mentioned, with 69% saying it is “no” to only
a “moderate” barrier. Similarly, only 1/10 of respondents
see “markets & competition” - including “green” marketing,
CSR (Coporate Social Responsability) and other competitive
advantages - as a “very high” strength of NR solutions.
This could confirm that, although environmental
benefits are the most important driver to move away
from fluorinated gases, the competitive advantage of NR
solutions has not yet been fully exploited to become a
major market driver.
Clearly confirmed as a major barrier is the Capital Cost
aspect. Coupled with the generally applicable principle
of facing a price premium for the first use of new technologies,
due to their lack of economies of scale, natural
refrigerant solutions in some areas require completely
new system layouts, components and materials. It is
hence not surprising that a clear absolute majority of
54% consider “system costs” (production, materials, refrigerants,
installation, government support) to be “no”
or only a “minor” strength of NR systems at this moment,
and that 45% rate “funding & costs” (taxes, subsidies) as a
high to very high barrier to a faster market uptake.
103
However, this is partly balanced by the assumption that
reductions in Life-Cycle Costs are superior to traditional
systems. Half of all respondents (50%) state that lower
“operation costs” – including energy savings, operation,
maintenance and end-of-life treatment – are a high to
very high benefit of NR systems.